The unexpected problem
by Joanne Clare
Summary: Regina and Emma have been friends since sixteen, now twenty-seven both have graduated with a PhD and whilst opposites get on like a house on fire. However since Emma took a trip to Tallinn four years ago, she has become 'darker'. As regina tries to work out what is going on and how to bring her emma back, feelings that have been pushed down resurfaced. slow burn swanqueen
1. prologue

Hi, this is the first story that I have posted on here but is not my first story altogether. This will be a slow burn story but I promise it will be worth it. There is no magic and I have set it in England as that is where I am from and have no idea of the American language or their school/university systems. You will see where it is going pretty early on, but for now, i will leave you with the prologue and please leave comments as it will help to motivate me

-When two bright and feisty people enter the same space, conflict often occurs. However, this surprisingly was not the case when Regina Mills and Emma Swan became friends. Emma had a gift with words, able to spin a story out of thin air with little to no inspiration. Regina could solve Euler-Langrange equations almost at the drop of a hat, well that's a little bit of an exaggeration but she was very good and fast. However, no matter how good they were at their specific subjects they were complete opposites, the entire and only reason why Emma passed GCSE maths was the fact that she met Regina in the library six months previous. Regina on the other, wasn't exactly great with words when she was younger, however, after knowing Emma for seven years her dialect had improved greatly from the fifteen-year-old girl who barely managed to speak her name.

The two knew all the ins and outs of each other, from their biggest fears to their greatest ambitions, from what made them cry and scream to what could cheer the other up on the worst days. To anyone looking from the outside in, they seemed like sisters or friends since day one. However, the truth was far from that.

 _At fifteen, Markus Jeffery was delivering a rare psychology lecture to year elevens at Exeter university, on the similarities and differences in brain function and similarities in identical twins. Emma walked in twenty minutes after the lecture had started due to bus problems, and the only seat was next to Regina, who at the time Emma only knew as the scowling girl – as she didn't exactly look friendly over the fact that someone had disrupted the proceedings._

 _As Emma took a seat, she removed her leather jacket - which whilst being far too big for her and worn at the creases from overuse and being passed down through numerous foster children – had kept her mainly warm through her thirty-minute walk from the bus station, and rubbed her hands together to return feeling to her hands. Looking at what had already been written on the large and old fashion blackboard, confusion crossed her face as she attempted to understand the vast and what seemed unrelated information. The girl next to her, the one with the scowl that could strike down a roman legion easily, took pity on the disruptor and handed her a large stack of notes -at least seven pages long, it looked to Emma – and threw a casual and kind smile her way, to which Emma responded in kind._

 _Neatly written at the top every page, was a name. 'Regina Mills' tightly but neatly written in a beautiful scrawl, which was mesmerising and beautiful. She read through the notes quickly, which allowed her to understand the chicken scratch chalk words a little better. At the end of the lecture, Regina quickly packed her notepad into her bag and left at a remarkable speed for someone who was wearing six-inch heels Emma noticed. In her haste though she had forgotten to ask for her notes back from Emma to which Emma responded by running out the door straight after and catching her up before asking her for hot chocolate._


	2. Chapter 1 - Reminiscing

**Hello, I wanted to release the first chapter ASAP as it's unfair to just be left with a prologue, so here it is. Let me know your thoughts as I love to hear opinions.**

Emma smiled fondly at the memory, of her first meeting with Regina all those years ago. _Emma had taken a large sip of her hot chocolate with cinnamon and at the point in which she lowered her mug her new companion started to laugh. She laughed so much that she began to snort, at which point Emma started to laugh. They continued to laugh for five minutes, and with each attempt at stopping Regina would look at Emma's face seeing a moustache of chocolate began to laugh again before at long last Emma noticed her reflection on the back of a spoon and removed the offending item that was causing several patrons to stare at the two laughing girls. To anyone looking from the outside in, they would see two of the greatest friends, the only thing that distinguished them from siblings was how different they looked._

 _Everything about the two were different, from how Emma's porcelain skin contrasted with Regina's tanned and golden; and how Emma's eyes a colour green that cannot be fully described, compared to the dark chestnut coloured eyes that when sitting in the sun would become hazelnut; and down to how they spoke, Regina with a crisp and firm tone that exhaled an air of excellence and a good upbringing; Emma's was hard, rough around the edges -just like she was – and instead of emitting anything, it was emotionless – just like she was._

A glint of evening sunlight bounced off Emma's tea spoon and onto her face, bringing her out of her day dream. Even sitting in the middle of the beautiful city of Tallinn she couldn't avoid thoughts of Regina. She was surrounded by ancient buildings, churches and architecture from long ago and still her thoughts made her return to the dreary village of Storybrook where the weather never changed and it seemed to be stuck fifty years in the past, but it was home and home had Regina, her best friend of twelve years.

Regina, however, was currently sitting in her living room eighteen hundred miles away from Emma, reading the time travellers wife as the rain beat down against the window panes in a rhythmic pattern that was almost sending her to sleep. She was a mathematics professor at Exeter university and after a long and gruelling day with four lectures and a study session with some of her less …excelling students which took up her only chance to eat and by the time she made the fifty-minute bus journey home she was ready to crawl into bed and hide away. In fact, that was exactly what she was planning on doing, but she missed Emma. She missed her best friend.

 _"it's only two months Regina" came a voice from behind a large phrase book. Regina's head appeared from behind a large stack of papers each individual sheet covered in squiggles, which to the untrained mind looked like nonsense, but to Regina – who had one of the most brilliant mathematical minds of the century – it was as easy as reading English._ _ **How on earth did she know what I was thinking**_ _was the only thought running through Regina's mind._

 _"But I'll miss you, you've never been away from home for that long before" Regina knew this wasn't strictly true but since they had started living together seven years ago, the longest that they had ever been apart was that two weeks in the first year when Regina went home at Christmas. Emma being a child of the state didn't have a home to go to so stayed at the shared house for the two most boring weeks of her life. Since then every holiday, every weekend away, every major event such as weddings, christenings and baptisms Emma accompanied Regina. Many a time, Emma was confused as Regina's partner by her family; which is understandable seeing as Emma never left her side and was always there, with a comforting smile or squeeze of the hand. But in truth, they were friends, just good friends; best friends._

 _"I'll be fine, honestly I'm a big girl Regina" it was obvious to tell that Emma's voice was trying not to break, as she tried to convince herself as well as Regina that she would be okay. This was her last chance to travel before she started working for SIS (The British secret service, like the CIA) in three months' time as a translator. "plus, it's not like we won't talk every single day"_

 _"I know, but I love you, Emma, you're my best friend" Regina's voice was un-mistakenly breaking. Silent tears running down her face as she hid behind her marking, trying to make sure any didn't fall on the painstakingly neatly made work of her hundreds of students. Before she knew it, strong arms were wrapped around her,_ _ **Emma always knew when she needed comforting**_ _and pulled her close to her chest._

A sharp ringing noise broke Regina out of her thoughts. The telephone. As she leant over to pick up her mobile (cell phone) a tear dripped onto her hand, **great, I'm crying. I'm such a wuss**. 'MY IDIOT' was displayed, and although she was sad and lonely a smile came upon her face at the thought of the blonde idiot.

"Hey you," The only voice that she wanted to hear said through the phone,

"Hey" it was a game they came up with a long time ago, only known to them.

"I haven't got long, bout to go on a midnight tour of the city, I just wanted to say I missed you and was thinking of you earlier today" **god was it 2200 already, I was lost in thought for a lot longer than I thought**.

"really? That sounds lovely, I was thinking of you too" she sounded distant and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. She missed her far too much.

"yeah it should be, I'll be home soon though. Two more weeks, that's all"

"of course dear, I'll be there to pick you up from the airport"

"good, alright I've got to go, love you" and the phone clicked off.

"love you too, idiot" Regina replied just a tad too late, just as normal. Emma was living a busy life and here she was, ten at night ready for bed and reading her book. Two opposites, but you know what they say about opposites.

They attract


	3. Chapter 2 - Mary Margaret

**Ding**. "Ughhhhhhh" came a low growl from far under a large pile of pillows and quilts. **Ding.** "urghhhhhhhh" the noise came again. **Ding. Ding. Ding.** "Jesus Fucking Christ" A hand appeared from beneath the quilts and brought the offending item closer to her face. Clicking the power button on the side of the phone, a bright light illuminated the dark interior of her cocoon. "Oh for fucks sake!"

There on the screen was half a dozen text messages from Mary Margaret. **Jesus that woman does not give up**.

 _At the age of seventeen Emma had been living in a hallway house accommodation in Bodmin. A large old country house that had been converted into flats. Being a part-care leaver she had the smallest flat, with an open planned kitchen and living room with her bed in the corner. Small bathroom at the edge of the room. It was small but it was her own area and she was safe. Away from shitty foster parents who didn't care, away from group houses where everyone lived on top of each other and everyone knew each other's business. She was somewhere the closest place to home that she ever had._

 _The only problem with Bodmin was that it was the middle of nowhere, the closest bus stop seven miles away. Every day Emma woke up at four, got ready and left the house at half four to walk the seven miles so that she could get the bus at six to get to college in Exeter at eight thirty. She wouldn't get home until about nine at night if she was lucky and didn't have to stay after to do extra work. After four months of leaving her flat at four thirty, her neighbour started to notice. One day when Emma walked out the door, there standing opposite was a woman in a dressing gown holding car keys and smiling._

 _She never asked for weeks as she drove Emma too and forth the Okehampton every day. Gradually as Emma started getting later, the need for being up so early now redundant as it only took an hour from Okehampton to Exeter if she was lucky. Finally, Emma started to talk to the woman – who she found out was called Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret managed to find out that she was a part-care leader, and whilst didn't make a big deal of it, she always made sure there was a bag of shopping left at Emma's door whenever she had gone shopping; and she always made sure that the phone that she had brought Emma – just a ten-pound phone from Tesco, but to Emma it meant everything – so that she could always call when she needed picking up, was always topped up._

 _Two months before Emma's eighteenth birthday – a day which Emma was dreading – Mary Margaret was driving Emma to the bus when she brought up something. A very shocking subject._

 _"How would you feel if I adopted you? Obviously, you don't have to say anything and I don't expect you to live with me, you could stay in your own flat of course, but it would mean that you always had family and I know how difficult it is. But what I'm trying to say Emma is, well, I don't want you to feel alone." Came a very rushed, and scared voice._

 _Emma didn't answer, as soon as Mary Margaret pulled up at the bus stop she got out quickly and stepped onto the waiting bus. Emma didn't answer until later that evening on the way home. It had been a long and late day, and she had got the bus home at gone nine at night. She hadn't text Mary Margaret but there she was, in the car waiting._ _ **she must have been waiting for hours**_ _, Emma thought._

 _"okay" came a small, timid voice, as they pulled up to the house._

 _"what?" the response was shocked, almost as if she had never expected to hear an answer to the elephant in the room, or car as it was._

 _"please don't make me say it again. I want to stay in my home, but I'd like that" a small chuckle at the end signalled that the older woman had heard right. The paper work was completed the week before Emma's eighteenth, and she gave the certificate to her on her birthday. Having never had a present before - the girl that hadn't cried since she was four when she cut her leg – cried. Mary Margaret thinking that she had upset the poor soul, ran around to comfort only realising they were happy tears when she heard Emma laughing._

She loved her adopted mother, she still didn't call her mum to her face but secretly to anyone she was talking to she always referred to the woman as mum. However, at whatever god forsaken time it was, six text messages were not gratefully received. Speaking of time, **THREE FUCKING O'CLOCK**. Jesus, she had slept through the entire day. **Anyway, what the hell is she going on about this time** she thought to herself, 'hey honey, just wondering how you were doing' 'hey darling, was just wondering what you thought of David?' **The downstairs neighbour?** 'hi darling, so David is quite lovely, we are going to get drinks later. Hope you're okay with this' **Good god mum, I'm twenty-seven I don't care who you date** 'hey sweetie, sorry to put this on you rather suddenly, it's just that I like him. Let me know you're okay with this?' **of course I'm okay, I'm a grown adult and has a good bloke** 'Hi darling, just wanted you to know that I love you, and If you don't agree I respect your opinion completely'

'Last one I promise, just wanted to tell you that I'm proud of you' **god I love her**. She was no longer annoyed at being woken up, instead she picked up her phone and rang the woman who though she hadn't raised her, was one of the only two people in her life that should could call family.

"Hey, mu- Mary Margaret"

"Emma honey, how are you?"

"I'm good, really good. I just wanted to say that I got your texts. And I'm completely fine with David. I like him honestly"

"honey, that's great. I'm so glad, has just great, isn't he?"

"Yes, MM. he's great, anyway I wanted to say that I am fine with it and you don't need to worry"

"oh good Emma, well remember I'm here if you need me, always Me"

"okay MM, love you"

"love you too Emma"

After ten years Emma was now proud to say that she was a foster child, because she had a great adoptive mum and was made tough from all the past trauma. It was what made her Emma.


End file.
